Broken Family
by Emma11
Summary: Xena is trying to find her way after leaving Hercules in "Unchained Heart." But she has bigger problems on her hands. Much bigger.
1. Part I

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in this story. They belong to the creators of Xena, Ren Pics, Universal, and StudiosUSA.  
  
Broken Family  
  
Part I  
  
I had been on my own for months. I had been trying to figure out where I was supposed to go next. I couldn't go home because my mother had disowned me. I had no other family except for the son I gave up years ago. But he wouldn't have known me and Calieopus would not have liked to have me around. I had been busy. Hercules had changed my life and turned me around. He had unchained my heart and he had shown me true love. And now I was heavily pregnant with his child.  
  
I couldn't face him. I couldn't go to the man that I swore I wouldn't let myself get involved with. I loved him, yes, but I couldn't depend on him. I had to go fix things for myself. But I was a wanted woman. I was wanted for many things. I had changed my clothes but that wasn't enough to hide me from the public eye. People hated and feared me. People wanted me to die.  
  
I had been keeping a low profile. I had been sticking to myself, dressing in loose garments over my dress. Nobody could know I was pregnant. I was due any day and I could feel that my child wanted out. But my child was the child of Hercules. I didn't know what to expect, and I knew that if Hera found out, she'd have been looking to kill the baby. I couldn't have a child. I didn't know what to do.  
  
Traveling on foot wasn't comfortable at the late point in my pregnancy. I hadn't been riding a horse because that would have been a little more obvious. I took my time, and I had even gone to Amphipolis once. But I knew better than to go into the city where I was not welcome. But now I was outside of the Centaur village where my son Solan lived. I wasn't sure which child was him because they were all at a distance. None of the children looked like a child of mine and the great Borias.  
  
"Solan! Kick me the ball!" shouted a little Centaur boy. My eyes darted over to see a young boy of about eight years of age. He had short hair and it was light brown in color. He laughed and kicked the ball to the Centaur boy. My heart skipped a beat and tears came to my eyes as I saw Solan for the first time in eight years. He was something I knew I couldn't have. I knew that I couldn't be a mother and I didn't know what I was going to do with the child that I was carrying. I couldn't tell Hercules because he would want to settle down. Sure I loved him, but I couldn't settle down with him. I wasn't cut out to be the housewife. I was cut out to be a warrior. I wanted to make amends for my past, but I was lost. I didn't know how to get started.  
  
"Solan," I whispered. My heart ached and I wanted this boy to be in my life. I wanted to be his mother, but I couldn't. I couldn't right the wrongs in my past by taking two children along with me.  
  
"Xena," came a deep voice behind me. I turned and I saw him. Calieopus. I stared at him and he stared at me, his arms crossed against his broad chest. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I meant no harm," I replied quietly, looking into the Centaur's eyes. "How is he?"  
  
"He's just fine. He's growing stronger every day."  
  
"He's . . . he's not being trained to be a warrior, is he?"  
  
"No," Calieopus answered calmly. I breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"What do you want here?"  
  
"I just wanted to see his face. I won't approach him. He's beautiful."  
  
"Yes he is," Calieopus answered. He noticed that I was pregnant. "I see you have another child on the way."  
  
"Yes," I answered. I looked away. "I have to go."  
  
"You want to speak with him."  
  
"No . . . I can't," I replied quietly. "I have to leave." I ran off and I didn't look back. I had just passed up the opportunity to talk with my son. But I would have been a stranger to him. I didn't want to look into my son's eyes and not have him recognize me. I ran into the forest and I rested as soon as I found a hidden clearing. I sat down against a tree and I waited. I felt my unborn child kicking within me and I wondered what my child looked like. Would the baby look like me or like Hercules? Would it look like Solan?  
  
I put my hand on my stomach and I let my child know that I was there. I spoke soothing words to it, trying to let it know that it didn't have to be scared. I wasn't good at being pregnant. When I was pregnant with Solan, I had tried everything to get rid of the child inside of me. I had tried herbs and spices. I had tried so many different things except for harming myself. But that child held on and then I gave him up. But I loved him. The first time I had seen his face, I had loved him. It pained me to give him up, and I knew that it would be the same with this child. I would love it as soon as it was born, but I didn't know if I could take care of it.  
  
"I don't know what I'm doing, kid. I'm so lost. I hate my past. I hated giving up Solan. But I think it was the best thing for him. If I had raised him, he would have become a warrior. If I raise you, what will you turn out to be? I can't take the chance of corrupting another person. I can't keep you," I whispered. I had tears in my eyes. Crying. Hercules had made me cry and this was the first time I had cried since I had left him. I missed him. I missed his touch. I missed his kisses. I missed his heart. I knew I was being unfair in not being with him and telling him about his child. But I had to do that myself. I had to take care of the child until I could find it a proper home. I couldn't keep it.  
  
I stood and I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen. I groaned loudly and the pain spread to my back and it lingered for a few seconds. I sat back down against the tree and I put my hand on my stomach. It felt hard and I knew that I was having a contraction. I panted a little and I pulled myself up. I began to walk for awhile. The pain seemed to go away and I didn't have another for quite some time. I walked for hours and I only rested when my knees started to give out. It was three hours before another contraction hit me. I knew the birth was awhile away, so I pulled up my bedroll and I camped out after the sun went down. I laid in my bedroll for hours and I thought of the life inside of me. I thought of Solan. I wondered if Calieopus ever told Solan about me or if he had made up a story of Solan's mother and father.  
  
Thinking of Solan made my heart ache again, so I tried to think of something else, but I couldn't escape my feelings. I loved my children so much that it was killing me to think of not being in their lives. I sat up. I needed to move. If I laid there all night, I knew that I was going to drive myself insane with guilt.  
  
I stood and I packed up my bedroll. I continued into the darkness of the forest and I felt another pain. I knew the baby would be coming in the next couple of days. I had to prepare for it, but then again, I almost didn't want to give birth. I knew that once I gave birth, I would have to stay detached from the baby and give it away. I had spent hours in a cart with Solan before I escaped and took him to Calieopus. That had been horrible. I had bonded with the baby. I had fed him from my breast and I had watched him suckle. I had been a mother to him and I hadn't looked back. I felt like a horrible mother.  
  
As I walked, I had this uncomfortable sense that somebody was watching me. I knew who it was. He knew I knew he was there. I stopped and I took a deep breath.  
  
"What do you want?" I asked loudly. In a flash of light, the God of War appeared before me. He was dressed in his black leather. He was very attractive, but I knew he was there on a less than friendly note.  
  
"That child you're carrying in my brother's," Ares responded.  
  
"Yes," I whispered.  
  
"You know, Xena, I've always had a soft spot for you."  
  
"Oh yeah," I retorted. "You really had a soft spot for me when you sent your dog Graegus after me and your brother."  
  
"That was just a warm up. Xena, believe it or not, I believe you have the power to become the world's greatest warrior," the God of War answered. I watched him for a few moments. I could see that he was scheming. He hated Hercules and he knew that I loved him.  
  
"You know how I feel about your brother. You know what he did for me. I won't go back to the way I used to be," I answered through clenched teeth. "It isn't worth it."  
  
'What are you going to do when Hera finds out that you're carrying the son or daughter of Hercules?" Ares asked, folding his arms over his chest.  
  
"Is that a threat?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. Ares licked his lips and flashed a grin. He shook his head.  
  
"No. But it is only a matter of time. You think you can tote around a kid and there'll be no questions as to who the father is. It will only be a matter of time before one person comes up to you and they're a servant in Hera's temple." I stood quiet. I didn't trust him. He had turned me to the dark side and I couldn't let myself fall that way again. I knew that the best thing to do would to be to ignore him. I knew he wouldn't tell Hera about my child with Hercules because he wanted me back too much. It was something that I had to face. Ares would always hound me and never give up. But the thing was, I enjoyed his yearning. I wanted him to beg. I walked away with the satisfaction of knowing I was making Ares worry that he'd never get me back.  
  
I couldn't let him know all at once that it wasn't going to happen. I wanted to get his hopes up and then crush them like they were nothing. I wanted him to pay for what I went through over the years.  
  
"Xena, don't walk away from me!" Ares called as I continued to walk. Finally, he was gone, and I was alone again. I couldn't help but grin. I always knew how to press Ares' buttons. But still, I knew he'd never tell Hera about my child with Hercules.  
  
As the night went on, pressure was settling in my lower back and pain was still coming every few hours. I felt horrible. It hurt to stand, it hurt to sit, it hurt to lie down, and it hurt to move at times. I wasn't sure how long I had been walking but my knees were sore and my feet were swollen. I could smell smoke from the fireplaces of homes in the distance. I knew I was near a village, and I was feeling the pain again. This time the pain was more painful and the pressure was ten times as bad as it had been before. I stumbled and I sat down against a large boulder. I could feel my child moving around inside of me, wanting out. I knew how to have a child, but that didn't mean I was ready.  
  
I groaned in pain and I heard movement. Footsteps. Somebody was walking my way. I grabbed my sword from under my coat, but when the moonlight cast a glow on the figure, I put my sword down. A young woman with long blonde hair came walking over. She wore a blue dress that fit her body and she had her hair pulled behind her shoulders. She had the gentlest eyes and her skin was so bright in the moon's glow.  
  
"Are you okay?" the girl asked me. I bit down on my tongue for a moment and I put my hand on my stomach. She looked down in the darkness and saw my stomach. Her eyes widened and she placed a hand on my stomach and could feel the contraction that was still lingering. "Soon." I nodded.  
  
"It's too cold to do this out here," she whispered. "My family is out of town. I can hide you in my home for a few days." She helped me stand and I could feel how warm her hands were against my hands. I looked into her eyes for a moment, my blue eyes piercing her green ones. She helped me walk down the path. The pains ceased and all I felt was pressure. I could finally speak.  
  
"How did you know I need to hide?" I asked her, glancing at her sideways.  
  
"You were traveling in the woods. I figured you were running from something."  
  
"No," I answered flatly. "I'm not running. I'm protecting my child."  
  
"Who are you?" she asked.  
  
"I'm Xena."  
  
"Xena?" the woman asked. "I have heard of you." I nodded.  
  
"Yeah. Well, I'm not the same as I used to be," I remarked.  
  
"I believe everyone can change if you give them the chance," she replied. She smiled at me. "I'm Gabrielle." I smiled.  
  
"Gabrielle," I muttered. I liked that name and decided to hold it as a possible name for my child. The least I could do was name it, right?  
  
I looked ahead as we walked. Gabrielle soon led me to a little farm at the edge of the village. There were candles burning in the windows and the home looked like a friendly environment. She helped me inside and shut the door. She walked over to boil some water as I put my coat down on a chair. I put my sword and my chakram on top of my coat and I took off the armor that protected my chest. The dress I wore was dark blue with silver designs running up the length of it. It was something to keep me warm until I gave birth.  
  
I watched Gabrielle as she put a pan of water over the fire to boil. She walked over to a bed and she pulled back the covers.  
  
"Here," she said. "You can have this bed. It's mine, but I can sleep in my sister's. She went off with my parents to Athens. I decided to stay here and take care of the farm."  
  
"That's very brave of you," I replied, settling down in the bed. She removed my boots and covered me with the blankets.  
  
"Why's that?" she asked, glancing at me curiously. I cocked my head at her and she smiled at me.  
  
"You're really young to be taking care of a farm all by yourself," I answered quietly.  
  
"I know what I'm doing. I'm not a little girl, you know. I'm sixteen," Gabrielle answered.  
  
"I remember being sixteen," I answered with a smile.  
  
"How old are you? You can't be much older than me," answered the young woman. I laughed a little.  
  
"I'm eight years older than you," I replied quietly, not wanting to admit to myself that I was about to reach my mid twenties.  
  
"How long have you been having pains?" Gabrielle asked me, putting her hands on my stomach again.  
  
"All day," I answered. "The baby won't be here for awhile."  
  
"My mother was the midwife of the town. Well, she still is, but she's training me. That's what I'm supposed to amount to," the girl answered, furrowing her brows.  
  
"That's not what you want," I replied, searching her eyes.  
  
"I feel like I'm destined to do greater things. I don't want to stay in one place. I want to travel. I want to learn everything I possibly can about the world," the girl answered. I looked at her. Her eyes practically lit up when she spoke about her hopes. I smiled and then I groaned as another pain hit me. Gabrielle looked concerned but I breathed through it while she walked over to check the water. "What do you want? A boy or a girl?"  
  
"I . . . I don't know. I'm not going to keep the baby," I replied as I looked away. She glanced over at me.  
  
"You aren't?"  
  
"No," I replied. "The baby deserves a better mother than I can ever be," I replied. I looked at Gabrielle and she stared at me for a long moment before deciding to change the subject.  
  
"I'll make you some hot tea," she whispered. She turned her back to me and I lay back with my hands on my stomach, fighting the demons in my conscience, which were telling me to keep the child and give up my life as a warrior.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED.  
  
Part II 


	2. Part II

Part II  
  
My pains had continued well into the early morning. I had managed to catch a few hours of sleep, but I would always wake with the pain rushing through my body. I yelped in pain and I sat up. I squinted into the dimness of the room. The sun was just rising and I peered over to see Gabrielle sleeping in the bed beside the one I was occupying. Gabrielle was curled up under a blanket, and her head was buried in a pillow. I laughed a little at the sight of her and then I felt the pain again. I groaned and I leaned against the back of the bed.  
  
Gabrielle turned in her bed and I thought she was awake, but I heard a soft snore and I knew that she was still in a deep sleep. I leaned back in my bed and I breathed through the pain. I hated the pain and I wanted everything to be over with. I wanted the pregnancy to be over with, the pain, and most of all, I wanted to not love my child. But I knew I would. I already loved it, but I was trying not to let myself feel that.  
  
"Look at you," came the voice of Ares. He appeared at the foot of my bed, his hands resting on the wooden frame. "You're suffering." I gripped the bed sheets in my hands.  
  
"I'm not suffering," I lied. "This is nature taking its course."  
  
"And nature is about to rip you apart," Ares joked. I glared at him and I was in so much pain that I thought about kicking him in the groin, but I decided against it.  
  
"Get out," I groaned. I looked over at Gabrielle and she was still sleeping. I now knew that she was a heavy sleeper. I looked back up at Ares.  
  
"What if I told you I could give you a better life? What if I could give you the entire world?" Ares asked. I shook my head.  
  
"You can't do that, Ares," I answered. I watched him and I saw the look in his eyes. It wasn't a look of anger, possessiveness, or arrogance. What I saw was almost soft. It was a look of concern as if he cared about me. I was a little caught off guard. I wondered what had come over me. Was I crazy? How could I see this in him? He had always lusted after my battle skills. Then I realized that I was just thinking crazy because of the hormones. I'm pregnant, not brain damaged, I said to myself. Ares gave me a funny look and I realized that I had said it out loud. I cleared my throat and looked at Ares.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Like I said," I said, trying to keep the conversation on the right track. "You can't give a better life." I saw that Ares was about to react to what I had accidentally said aloud.  
  
"Sure I can. I can do anything," Ares replied, tilting his head to the side. I rolled my eyes at Ares' cockiness and I relaxed against my pillow.  
  
"You know you want --" he began.  
  
"Ares, I don't want a new life. I'm happy with the one I've got," I said, cutting him off quickly.  
  
"Are you?" he asked me. I watched him curiously. I was trying to see his angle, but I didn't find one. "Xena, you have a son out there than doesn't know you exist. You have another child on the way that you can't keep. You are running from the one thing you can't get away from. You're running from yourself and from your child."  
  
"I'm not running," I replied. "I'm facing everything that I've done in my past. I'm doing whatever I can to make amends for that, and I don't want you in my way!" Finally, Gabrielle woke up and she sat up. In an instant, Ares was gone and Xena was starting to feel another contraction.  
  
"What's going on?" Gabrielle asked, rubbing her tired eyes. I fidgeted.  
  
"Just having a chat with an . . . old friend," I replied. Gabrielle furrowed her brow.  
  
"I don't see anyone here," she started.  
  
"Well, he's more of a god than a friend."  
  
"A god?!" Gabrielle asked. "Which one?" I could see the curiousity in her eyes and I laughed.  
  
"The god of war." Gabrielle's eyes went wide.  
  
"As in Ares?!" she asked. I nodded.  
  
"Yeah. He has a special place for me. He wants that to be by his side."  
  
"I see," Gabrielle replied. "Do you want to be at his side?"  
  
"I used to. Not anymore. I don't want to be his warrior queen."  
  
"You're already the warrior princess."  
  
"Some call me that," I replied quietly. I put my hand on my stomach and Gabrielle got out of bed.  
  
"How are the pains?"  
  
"They're getting closer and closer together," I breathed. I sucked in a deep breath as another contraction rushed through my lower body. I groaned and Gabrielle walked over to press her hands on my stomach.  
  
"It'll be a little while," she replied. "The baby will be here by the end of the day." I watched Gabrielle as her eyes lowered. I knew she was thinking about what would happen after the baby was born.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" I asked. I wanted to hear it from her. She shook her head.  
  
"Nothing," she answered.  
  
"Gabrielle, you can tell me," I replied. I realized that I was opening up to her and it didn't feel so bad. Gabrielle sighed.  
  
"What are you going to do when the baby's born?" Gabrielle asked. I closed my eyes for a moment and leaned back on the pillows.  
  
"I'm not sure yet. I want to find it a good home."  
  
"I know you do," Gabrielle replied. "But, how are you going to do that if you don't take the baby with you?"  
  
"I'll travel with it for a few days," I answered. I knew I sounded crazy. That was too much time.  
  
"Xena, you'll get attached. Maybe you should get attached. Your child needs you."  
  
"Don't give me that," I spat. Gabrielle looked afraid and I sighed. "I shouldn't have said that. I know what it is like to give up a child."  
  
"This isn't your first?" she asked. I shook my head and I looked away. Gabrielle decided to leave it at that. "I'm going to go out and feed the chickens. I'll be back in soon." I nodded and Gabrielle walked outside. I yawned and I put my hands on my stomach.  
  
"I don't know what I'm doing," I whispered, feeling my heart aching more and more. I didn't want to give up my child but I thought that's all I could do. "By the hour, I'm feeling the pains of labor. I know you'll be in my arms within the day, and I can't help but love you more and more as I think about you. I keep imagining your face and your eyes. This is killing me. How can I give you up? You already mean the world to me." I had tears in my eyes again. Once more, I told myself that the hormones were taking control. But I was allowed to cry, wasn't I? Just because I was strong and tough didn't mean I couldn't cry.  
  
I heard Gabrielle's voice coming from outside and I slowly got out of bed, pain consuming my back as I walked over to the window. I peeked out and I saw that she was walking to the gate. And then I saw him. I listened to the conversation, hearing everything that was said.  
  
"Can I help you?" Gabrielle asked. I watched as she looked at him. "By the Gods! You're . . . you're Hercules!"  
  
"Yes I am," he said, looking to the ground for a moment. My heart skipped a beat. I wondered what he was doing there so early in the morning. I continued to listen.  
  
"It's very early," Gabrielle said. "Shouldn't you be resting up for your next heroic rescue?" Hercules chuckled a little and I couldn't help but grin at Gabrielle's innocent question.  
  
"I'm actually looking for a friend," Hercules replied. "A good friend of mine said he saw her passing through a village near here the other day. Maybe you've seen her." I watched as Gabrielle tensed up.  
  
"Who are you looking for?"  
  
"Her name's Xena," Hercules said. My heart nearly melted when he said my name. I sighed heavily and I really hoped that Gabrielle wouldn't tell him I was hiding in her home. I didn't want him to see me. I didn't want him to know.  
  
"As in the warrior princess?" Gabrielle asked with wide eyes, trying to cover up her secret. "I haven't seen her. I heard she passed through, but if I had seen her, I probably would have remembered it." I smiled. She was good at cover stories.  
  
"Well, I guess I'll keep looking then," Hercules replied. Gabrielle turned and walked back into the house, forgetting about the chickens. She looked at me. "I hope I did the right thing."  
  
"You did," I answered.  
  
"Is he the father?" Gabrielle asked.  
  
"You ask too many questions."  
  
"That's a yes," Gabrielle concluded. I nodded.  
  
"You're right," I answered quietly. The pain surged through me again and I let out a scream of pain. I knew then that I was going to regret that. Gabrielle helped me back over to the bed and put the covers over me just as Hercules ran in.  
  
"What's going . . ." he began. Gabrielle stood quickly I watched Hercules as my heart began to pound in my chest. Hercules saw me right away and he stood frozen for a moment, his eyes glancing back and forth between me and Gabrielle. "Xena."  
  
"I'm going to go finish feeding the chickens," Gabrielle said, clearing her throat. She gave me a questioning look, and I nodded. She ran out quickly, shutting the door behind her. I watched Hercules and his eyes turned soft and they were full of love.  
  
"Hercules," I said with a nod. Hercules walked over to the bed. His steps were heavy and slow. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew that he was going to be understanding. I felt like I knew Hercules more than I knew myself. He was my savior.  
  
"What's going on?" he asked. I was covering my pregnant belly with a pillow, and I was sitting up straight in the bed. But I knew he knew something was wrong. The sweat had dampened my hair and it was matted against my forehead. I looked like Tartarus, but I knew Hercules didn't care. I didn't care either. I was never a girl who primped and pampered herself.  
  
"I'm just . . ." I started. I was at a loss for words. His arrival was very unexpected. Pain rushed over me again. I cringed and Hercules' eyes went wide. He rushed to my bedside as I grabbed the pillow that covered my stomach. At that point, the pain was so horrible that I ripped the pillow apart and the feathers came out. Hercules then saw my swollen stomach.  
  
"Oh . . ." he choked. I groaned in pain through the contraction and when it was over, I calmed my breathing and I stared at him.  
  
"I . . ." I started, still at a loss for words.  
  
"This is mine?" he asked. I nodded.  
  
"I didn't want you to know."  
  
"Why not?" he asked.  
  
"I'm giving the baby to somebody who can take care of it."  
  
"What?" Hercules asked in a confused but understanding voice. He didn't sound angry yet.  
  
"I didn't want you to know because I knew you'd want to settle down and . . . I don't think I'm ready for that. I can't be a mother or a wife!"  
  
"Wait a minute! Who mentioned any of that? Xena, we haven't seen each other in three seasons and now here you are . . . about to give birth to my child! What am I supposed to think?!" He was getting a little angry now and I took a deep breath.  
  
"I can't be a good mother," I replied. Hercules looked at me as if I was crazy.  
  
"Xena, you can be anything."  
  
"No!" I replied, angry at myself for arguing the matter at hand. "This child deserves much better than what I can give it. This is my choice. It's my choice, Hercules." I looked at him and he put his hands over his face for a moment. Finally, he looked back up at me.  
  
"I will help you out, Xena. I'll help you until you can travel again. We'll travel together and we'll raise the baby together."  
  
"I can't do that!" I answered with a small laugh. "Do you know how many people would pay to see me dead?"  
  
"If you can't take the baby . . . at least let me take care of it for awhile. I don't want my child being pawned off on a stranger!"  
  
"You don't even know this child!"  
  
"Because you didn't tell me you were expecting! Xena, why couldn't you tell me?"  
  
"You know why. I'm not good at this love thing yet."  
  
"I will teach you everything about love, Xena. Just . . . give me a chance." I watched him as his eyes wandered down to my stomach. This was all happening so fast. I shook my head and I felt guiltier than ever.  
  
"I can't. I have to do what's best for this child. If that means giving it to a stranger . . . then so be it." 


	3. Part III

Part III  
  
As the day wore on, the labor was getting more and more intense. Gabrielle was there to massage my legs and my back as the pressure built up. Hercules refused to leave my side. He had been kind and had taken on the labor of dabbing my forehead with a wet cloth. A headache had come over me and I was running a high fever. My patience was growing shorter by the hour, ane each time Gabrielle spoke to me, she made sure to use soothing words that calmed my nerves.  
  
Gabrielle, as I soon found out, was a talented bard. She had been reading to me from her scrolls. Her voice was soothing, and at times, I would doze off to sleep, forgetting about my labor pains for awhile. I was even able to laugh at a few witty remarks in Gabrielle's writing. But each time I looked over at Hercules, he was quiet and he was trying not to say too much. But, he would rub my feet to try to make me feel better.  
  
Around noon, Gabrielle took two buckets out to the well to get water. She was also giving me some time with Hercules. I wasn't in pain at the moment because I had used a pressure point on myself to help numb the pain.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Hercules asked me as I stared at him.  
  
"Peachy," I mumbled. I looked at him for a few moments. His eyes were so sad. I was about to say something else to him, but he spoke first.  
  
"When you left, my heart broke," he whispered. I took a deep breath, not knowing what to expect next. "I had found the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life loving. She left. You left. After we parted ways, I spent my nights dreaming about you. I remember, in one of those dreams, you were standing in a field of flowers . . . and you were holding our daughter in your arms." My eyes began to tear up. How could I have let him get to me like that? He was breaking my heart and I knew why. I had had the same dream. After I left Hercules, I had dreamed of us being together in love and of having a family together.  
  
"I'm sorry I hurt you," I said quietly, looking down. I'm sorry. I said I'm sorry, I said to myself. I realized that those words hadn't been in my vocabulary for a very long time. "Wow. I'm sorry. I haven't said that in a long time." I smiled at Hercules and he took my hands in his.  
  
"I need you to think about this. I'm willing to take this child . . ."  
  
"No!" I interrupted, jerking my hands away from his. "If you do that, Hera will only come after you with everything she has! I don't want you or this child to live life on the run!" Hercules' shoulders slumped and he had a defeated look on his face.  
  
"You're right," he answered with a side-ways smile. "I just think that this child needs its parents." I looked away, not wanting to let myself get upset again. I couldn't let it happen. I felt that way right before Solan was born. It wasn't in the baby's best interest for me to have felt that way.  
  
"What do you expect me to do?" I asked sadly. "I can't bring a baby on the road to redemption! It isn't safe."  
  
There was a long pause and I heard Gabrielle's footsteps heading up the sidewalk to the house. She stepped onto the porch, her steps heavy and quick. She burst into the house, out of breath.  
  
"Hercules!" she exclaimed. Hercules stood.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"There's trouble down the road. My neighbor's husband just took a fall down a cliff. He's hanging on, but he needs your help!" Hercules looked at me and I nodded at him.  
  
"Go on," I said softly. Hercules hurried out and Gabrielle closed the door behind him. She walked over to me and she put her hand on my forehead.  
  
"Your fever has broken," she said with relief in her voice. I shifted my weight and slowly got out of the bed. "Xena, you need to be resting."  
  
"I'm okay," I replied. "I just need to walk for a bit." I put one hand on my back and I began to walk around the room slowly. I felt a quick gush and I realized that my water had broken. I looked down and saw the puddle at my feet. I stepped out of the way and Gabrielle quickly rushed over with a towel. She found some clean, dry trousers for me to put on under my dress, but I told her not to bother with them because I felt that the baby would be coming within a couple of hours.  
  
"When did you meet Hercules?" Gabrielle asked curiously.  
  
"About three seasons ago," I replied with a laugh. "Well, it was a little while before that. We have a complicated past."  
  
"But now you have a future," Gabrielle remarked, pointing to my stomach. I sighed.  
  
"I can't talk about this right now."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because the more I talk about it, the more it hurts me."  
  
"Xena, you want to keep this child. I know you do."  
  
"I do want to keep the baby, okay? But I can't let it be hurt because of all of my enemies!" I protested. I was grasping at anything that could keep me from the child. I know I sounded like a horrible mother, but I couldn't pretend to be a good one.  
  
"You're a warrior. You can protect it, you know?" Gabrielle asked me, looking straight into my eyes. I felt like she could see my soul. Her eyes were soft and kind and her hands took my trembling ones and she held them. "You're not the only warrior in history to take care of a child while being a warrior at the same time. From the stories I've heard, you've taken on entire armies and you've won." I looked away again.  
  
"I don't want to talk about my past," I stated with determination. Gabrielle shook her head.  
  
"You don't want to talk about your past or your future. You're only living in the present. You are about to give birth and here you are, fighting your maternal instincts. How can you not love a child?"  
  
"I love this child with all of my heart!" I yelled. My heart was pounding with frustration and my eyes were blurry from the tears. "How many times do I have to tell you that I can't be a mother because of the life I lead?"  
  
"You're making excuses!" Gabrielle exclaimed. She was quiet for a moment and she walked away. She came back out of the other room with a cradle and some blankets. She placed the cradle on the floor beside my bed and she walked over to the fireplace. She began to jab at the embers with the poker. "I had always wanted to travel the world like a warrior and write stories about it. But you make the world see too dangerous. But you know what? That doesn't matter to me. I want to go for me. I feel like I have the right to choose the path I take, and you should have the right to choose your own, too. So, if giving away your child means more to you than loving it, then so be it. But just don't drop your child off with the nearest housewife. You need to find the perfect home for it."  
  
"There are no perfect homes, Gabrielle," I answered.  
  
"Do you know how many children have prayed to the gods every night to have a mother like you?" Gabrielle asked. "My mother, for instance, was never strong. She always let my father step all over her. She let him tell her what to do. I swore to myself that I wouldn't be an ordinary housewife. I swore to myself that I would make something out of my life, and that's what I intend to do. As soon as you're well enough to travel, I'm leaving too, but hopefully I won't have to be around to see you pawn your child off on somebody else because you don't feel like an adequate mother." I was stunned by the bard's words. I wanted to answer her. I wanted to yell at her and tell her that she was wrong about her perceptions of me. I couldn't. She was right. I was trying to pawn my baby off on somebody else. I didn't feel like an adequate mother. The only thing I had left to do was to make the final decision. The right decision. I wasn't sure what that was now.  
  
"I need to rest," I said quietly. I pulled the covers over my head and tried to relax, but I couldn't relax. I heard Gabrielle sigh heavily and get up to do a few chores around the house. I waited and waited for Morpheus to bring me some kind of a peaceful dream, but I couldn't sleep. Finally, I heard Hercules' footsteps on the porch and I uncovered my head and I looked over to the door. Hercules walked in and he had a tear in his shirt. Otherwise, he was in perfect condition. "Hi . . ."  
  
"Hey," Hercules answered. "Are you feeling any better?"  
  
"My water broke," I replied.  
  
"That means . . ."  
  
"That means the baby will be here soon." Hercules leaned down to kiss my forehead and it felt so good to have him kiss me again. He pulled away and we were just an inch apart. We looked at each other and our eyes met. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to my lips, igniting a spark that had been dormant for seasons. When he pulled away from me, I smiled at him and I put my hand on his shoulder. "Why don't you go take a break? I need to get some sleep."  
  
"I don't want to leave your side," Hercules revealed. He's falling in love with me all over again, I told myself. I shouldn't let this happen! But I can't help it. I think I'm falling in love with him again as well. I shook my head and I put my hand to his cheek.  
  
"Go rest," I whispered. Hercules stepped out and I shook my head. I could hear Gabrielle cooking in the kitchen, so I knew I'd be alone for awhile. Well, at least I thought I would be alone for awhile. Ares appeared again from out of nowhere. "What do you want?" I hadn't meant to sound so harsh.  
  
"What I can't have," Ares replied. "Why is it that you're so cold towards me and you're so loving towards my brother?"  
  
"Because your brother isn't trying to turn me into my old self. Your brother is the father of my child."  
  
"Let's put all of that aside for a minute." I narrowed my eyes at the war god. "I can accept the fact that you don't want to join me . . ." I began to laugh.  
  
"You can't accept that! You'll mope around for a century, trying to make me feel guilty!" I exclaimed. I looked at Ares but he was serious. I halted my laughter and I decided to give him a chance to explain. I folded my arms over my chest. "Go on."  
  
"You know how I feel about you."  
  
"No. I really don't. All I know is that you would do anything to have me fighting for you again," I remarked, staring up at him boldly. Ares stepped closer to the bed.  
  
"You do know how I feel about you," he whispered. "Every time you lift your sword, you feel the passion I feel for you inside the pit of your stomach and inside of your heart. You feel how I feel for you."  
  
"You don't make any sense, Ares," I replied, trying to get him to say what he was beating around the bush about. Ares looked away and I knew what he was getting at. But he couldn't say it. He didn't feel comfortable saying it because he knew I wouldn't return his feelings. I let him off of the hook easily. "On second thought, don't bother. You're the God of War. How am I supposed to know what truth comes out of your mouth?"  
  
"I'll prove it to you one day," Ares replied.  
  
"Prove what?" I asked, really wanting to hear it, although my stomach was tied up in knots at the thought of it. I felt like a young girl waiting for her crush to return the feelings. But then I realized that I was staring at Ares with some strange dreamy look in my eyes. I shook my head. What was that about?! I asked myself. "You should just go."  
  
"Fine. I'll be back, Xena," he said firmly. He disappeared and I sat alone, contemplating the confusing mess that was quickly becoming my life. 


	4. Part IV

Part IV  
  
The next hour became intense. The pressure point I had administered to myself had worn off. I the pains were coming regularly at three minutes apart. Gabrielle had ordered Hercules to wait out on the porch. She had heated water at her side, along with several small rags and blankets. I was getting scared. It wasn't just because the thought of giving birth again was scary, but it was because I knew that I would be holding my child in my arms very soon.   
  
It was late in the afternoon, and I remembered being in labor and giving birth to Solan. Then I remembered seeing Borias' eyes for the last time as he looked at me and Solan. I was never really sure if Borias had seen his son before he died. Maybe he had just looked up because he sensed us there.  
  
"Borias," I sobbed as I gripped Gabrielle's hand. She furrowed her brows.  
  
"Xena?" she asked. "Borias . . . who is he?"  
  
"Solan's father," I cried. "My son's father."  
  
"What happened to him?" she questioned. She washed her hands in the basin of warm water. I closed my eyes for a moment.  
  
"He died the night Solan was born."  
  
"Where is your son?" she asked me. Normally I would have been annoyed by all of the questions, but I wasn't. I knew Gabrielle was curious about me. I trusted her.  
  
"He lives with the Centaurs."  
  
"Centaurs?" Gabrielle asked with wide eyes. I nodded solemnly. "You mean he has grown up all of his life thinking that his father is a Centaur?"  
  
"I don't know," I answered. "I honestly didn't know how my son had been brought up. All I knew was that he looked happy and healthy. He was beautiful.  
  
"When was the last time you saw him?"  
  
"I caught a glimpse of him yesterday."  
  
"Oh?" Gabrielle asked. I smiled over the pain. "Well, when you hold this baby in your arms, you'll feel all the love in the world. You'll feel all of the love you felt when you held your son in your arms for the first time."  
  
"You're sure about that?" I asked. Gabrielle gave me a reassuring smile.  
  
"Xena, I have delivered a dozen babies, and I've helped my mother deliver several. I have witnessed hundreds of births. Not one time did I see a woman who didn't fall in love with the child in her arms. I'm confident that you won't be any different." I had hoped that Gabrielle was right. I wanted to feel that bond with my child, and I subconsciously knew that I would. I felt a sharp pain surge through me again and I screamed in pain. Gabrielle checked me again.  
  
"Oh . . ." I moaned in pain.  
  
"You're getting close," Gabrielle said soothingly, brushing the hair out of my face. I breathed heavily and the pain got worse. My legs were trembling now because my baby's head was down in the birth canal and I knew that very soon, I would be giving birth. "I can see the baby's head, Xena."  
  
"Gabrielle!" I cried. She took my hand and I squeezed hers. I cried out as the contractions came right on top of each other.  
  
"You're doing great!" Gabrielle urged as she washed her hands in the warm water again. She put a small blanket down on the bed and she put her hands on my stomach again. "The baby's coming down easily. No worries . . ."  
  
"Then you try doing this then!" I screamed out with frustration. My angry words didn't phase Gabrielle, and I knew she was used to this. I knew I should have been listening to her.  
  
"Just breathe," Gabrielle whispered. I took a deep breath and exhaled deeply. I breathed in again. "Push as hard as you can, Xena!" I was so scared, but I grabbed Gabrielle's shoulders and I held myself up as I pushed with all of the power that was left in me. I felt all of the painful memories of Solan's birth come rushing back in a more painful form. I cried out and I let go of Gabrielle. I didn't think I was going to survive for a moment until Gabrielle said those four magical words. "The head is out." I gasped for air and I began to cry.  
  
The minutes began to pass by and the baby was coming out slowly. The next three minutes seemed to take an eternity and a half. But as soon as I heard the cries of my child, I knew it was over. I collapsed onto my pillow and I closed my eyes as Gabrielle separated the child from me. I felt a strange sense of relief and guilt all at once. I could hear the baby's cries and the splashing of the water as Gabrielle cleaned off the baby. I felt something heavy against my chest and I could feel that my child was in my arms. I was afraid to look.  
  
"Open your eyes, Xena," said Gabrielle. "Look at your daughter." When I heard Gabrielle say that, I got a picture in my head of what she looked like. My eyes slowly opened and I looked down at my child with tears in my eyes. She was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. She had deep blue eyes and a little dark black hair. She looked just like me. As soon as she looked up at me, she stopped crying for a moment and tried to focus her eyes on me. When she couldn't, she began to cry even more. Holding her in my arms felt so incredible. I was so relaxed and I felt so loved as I looked into her eyes. I could see how much she loved me already, and she was just a minute old. My heart was swollen with amazing, wonderful feelings towards my newborn child.  
  
"Hello, baby girl," I whispered, rocking her back and forth and nuzzling her cheek with my nose. She was wrapped in a little white blanket she was so warm that within a few minutes, she was sleeping against my chest. I couldn't stop staring down at her as Gabrielle cleaned me up. This child was the most perfect, amazing thing I'd seen in years. I loved her so much already and I had forgotten about my plan to give her up. I knew in the back of my mind that it would be best for her if I did, but at that moment, nothing mattered except for her.  
  
Gabrielle covered me with a blanket and I lay there with my daughter sleeping in my arms just minutes after her birth.  
  
"You're tired, huh?" I asked my baby as Gabrielle put a couple more logs on the fire to keep us warm. I looked up at Gabrielle. "You might want to let Hercules in. He might want to meet his daughter." Gabrielle nodded and she walked over to the door and opened it. Hercules walked in slowly and he looked at me as I lay with our baby. Gabrielle left the house to go finish some chores outside, and Hercules slowly sat down at my bedside. I looked at him and he smiled at me. "You want to hold our daughter?" Hercules smiled at me and he picked up the baby into his arms and he held her close. Tears were in his eyes and he looked so happy.  
  
"Hello little one," Hercules whispered as he rocked our daughter back and forth. He looked at me and we smiled at each other. He leaned over and pressed a tender kiss to my lips. He looked back at the baby and he began to talk to her, telling her everything he thought about her and it brought a feeling of love and adoration into my heart. I smiled at them, and watched them for a few moments before my eyes drifted shut and I fell into a deep sleep.  
  
*~*  
  
When I woke up, I was surrounded by darkness. Gabrielle was sleeping in the cot next to mine while Hercules slept in a chair by the door. I was so stiff and sore as I sat up in my bed. I peered over to see my newborn daughter sleeping in the cradle next to the bed. She was awake but she wasn't crying. I realized that she must have been hungry, so I picked her up into my arms and I exposed a breast. She nuzzled up to me and began to suckle comfortably. I leaned my head back on my pillow and I wondered what I was going to do now. I had this perfect child in my arms and I didn't want to let her go. It was hard to leave Solan with Caleiopus, but I had managed. Over time, the pain wasn't as bad because I knew that Solan was happy and safe. But how was I going to give her away?  
  
I needed to walk. I was sore, but I needed to let my muslces have some exercise. I slowly got out of bed and I carried my child with me. I walked out onto Gabrielle's porch and I slowly sat down in a rocking chair. I was so careful and quiet with the baby. I didn't want to startle her. I wanted her to feel safe with me. I wanted to know she was okay. I looked out at the starry sky and I realized that I hadn't had a moment of peace like that in years. Not since I was a child. I would sit on my grandparents porch and I'd carve my initials in the wooden poles. I would sit outside on my grandpa's lap and look up at the constellations. Those were the most peaceful times of my life. And a few years down the road, I became a warrior.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" came a voice as I snapped out of my thoughts. I was surprised to find that Ares was standing on the porch, leaning against the railing. I was surprised that I hadn't sensed him earlier.  
  
"The old days," I replied quietly.  
  
"Your warrior days?"  
  
"I'm still a warrior, Ares. But I'm also a mother," I replied. I had surprised myself. I had called myself a mother. I was already too attached to the baby. "I was thinking about when I was a child."  
  
"That wasn't too long ago, you know?" Ares asked, sitting down in a chair beside me. We looked like a married couple as we rocked side by side and as I held the baby in my arms.  
  
"I know," I answered quietly.  
  
"I'm surprised you aren't giving me any of your famous comebacks."  
  
"I'm too tired for that," I replied, looking down at the infant in my arms. "I'm just happy."  
  
"Happy?" Ares asked. "So this is what you think you're suited for? Being a mother and a doting wife?"  
  
"No. I don't think I deserve to be a mother. But I am. And I don't know what I'm going to do from this point on. But I do know one thing. I will never be your warrior queen. I will never fight for evil again. That's over. I'm done, Ares." I stood again and I took the baby inside of the house and closed the door. I didn't want to face anyone right then. I just wanted to bond with my child and try to figure out what I was going to do. I had a decision to make, and it seemed as thought I had already made it. I was so happy with the baby, but I didn't know how to keep her safe. I realized that I was too tired and happy to think about it. As soon as the baby finished eating, I put her back down in her cradle and I crawled back under the covers and promised myself that I would give it some more thought in the morning. 


	5. Part V

Part V  
  
I woke to the crying of my daughter before the sun came up. Gabrielle and Hercules woke up as well, but I pulled myself out of bed and took the child into my arms. Gabrielle lit a couple of candles and Hercules stood to help me.  
  
"I'm okay," I said, raising a hand. "I've got her." Gabrielle began to walk around, picking up things that she was afraid I might stumble over. I walked around with the baby in my arms and I soon had her in a peaceful sleep. Hercules and Gabrielle were watching me carefully and I couldn't help but smile at them. I put the baby back down in her cradle and I sat down on the bed. "You don't have to watch me like a hawk. I'm okay."  
  
"You're healing," Gabrielle pointed out.  
  
"Don't you dare treat me like a child," I scolded. I hadn't meant to sound so grouchy, but Gabrielle understood. She was a very understanding woman. I sighed and I shook my head. "I need some fresh air." I stood to go to the door and Hercules stood again. He was so protective of me. It was sweet, but I needed my space. "Please . . . I'll be right back." I walked out onto the porch and I sat down in the swing. I heard Gabrielle and Hercules walking around inside of the house. But it was nice to be alone. For the first time I was absolutely alone. I was still and there wasn't a child kicking around inside of me. There wasn't anymore pain.  
  
The air was cool and the moon was high in the sky. It was nothing but a cresent shape of light had less purpose than the sun. I realized that I felt an emotion that I hadn't felt in a long time. I was happy. I was happy because I had a daughter. She wasn't a burden. I didn't want to give her away. That was quickly becoming something of the past. I knew I couldn't care for her on the road, but I didn't want to give her up.  
  
I closed my eyes and I felt so peaceful. I could hear Gabrielle and Hercules talking. I could hear every word they spoke.   
  
"I'm worried about her," Hercules said in a whisper, not wanting me to hear their conversation.  
  
"She seems strong enough to take care of herself and the baby."  
  
"I love her, Gabrielle. I love Xena and I don't want her to leave with my child. I don't want her to give my child to a stranger. I want to be there. I want to be a father to my daughter."  
  
"You should talk to Xena," Gabrielle replied, her voice growing harder. "But if I were you I'd let her figure it out for herself. She doesn't seem like the type to settle down and be a peaceful peasant woman. You can't make her into something she isn't destined to be." I shook my head. They were arguing over me!  
  
"Destiny . . . how would you know about that?" Hercules asked. I could hear Gabrielle shift her weight.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean? Do you think that just because I'm an innocent peasant girl . . . that . . . that I don't know about fate and destiny? Let me tell you something, I'm not stupid! I have read nearly every scroll by every prophet and every bard that has ever lived. I know all about the ways of the world and I've never set foot out of this town!" I heard her footsteps become heavier. She was angry.  
  
"Listen to that," came Ares' voice. I turned my head to see him standing out in the yard with his sword in his hand. I cocked my head to the side and I slowly stood up. "They're both fighting . . . over you."  
  
"What do you want now?" I asked him, exasperation in my voice. I walked closer to him and he reached out. He took my hands in his. A warmth spread throughout my whole body and a glow surrounded us. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm letting you feel just how I feel about you. That feeling you have in your heart . . . that's the feeling that flows through my body every second of every day when I think about you." I was amazed. I felt the warmth and the love. Love. He did love me. I pulled away from him and the warmth disappeared.  
  
"Stop it!"  
  
"Admit it, Xena!" Ares demanded in a whisper.  
  
"Admit what?"  
  
"Admit that . . . that this isn't what you want."  
  
"No," I said quietly. "I won't."  
  
"Why not?" Ares asked. He looked into my eyes and I held my breath for a moment. "You really want to be like Gabrielle? Do you really want to get up at dawn to feed the chickens and spend the rest of your day doing nothing but taking care of the baby?" I could see that Ares wanted to say something. I could see that he was pushing himself closer and closer to saying what he wanted to. I folded my arms over my chest and I watched him carefully. Finally, he spoke again. "You want me to say it? Okay. I'll say it. I care about you, Xena. Not just because of your skills with a sword. I care about you because you're beautiful and you are everything I've ever wanted in a companion." I was startled. He had said the words and I was speechless. I turned away. I walked back towards the house and Ares stepped out in front of me. "Don't do this."  
  
"Don't do what?" I asked. "Don't go back inside to my daughter? I have a family in there, Ares, if you haven't noticed."  
  
"I have noticed," Ares replied. "I only wish that baby were mine." My eyes went wide and I shook my head. I bit my bottom lip for a moment.   
  
"You're only saying that because she is Hercules' daughter. If this child were anybody else's, you wouldn't have come around," I replied, trying to figure everything out for myself.  
  
"No," Ares interjected. "I'm saying that because its true."  
  
"Just leave it alone, Ares," I replied, begging him to stop. I didn't want to be anymore confused than I already was. At that moment, Hercules walked out of the house and he spotted me with Ares. Anger was present in the features of his face. Ares folded his arms over his chest and I turned to him. I whispered, "Just go away."  
  
"Get away from her!" Hercules shouted with jealousy in his voice. I had never heard him so angry except for the time when I had turned Iolaus against him. My heart began to race and Gabrielle stepped out onto the porch.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"Get back inside, Gabrielle. Xena, you go too."  
  
"No!" I answered quickly. "This is about me and I just want the both of you to let it go." I looked at Ares boldly and he disappeared. I began to walk inside and Hercules lightly took my hands in his.  
  
"What are you doing with him?" he asked quietly. I looked at him and I sighed.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it, Hercules. I just want to go back inside and get some sleep. I'm not thinking clearly right now." I walked past him and went back into the house. Gabrielle looked at me as she followed me in.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine," I answered.  
  
"They're fighting over you."  
  
"If I didn't know better . . . I'd say you were too." Gabrielle blushed and looked away and I smiled. I looked down at my sleeping child and I relaxed into the bed and attempted to fall into a deep sleep.  
  
*~*  
  
The sun was already up when I woke again. Hercules was sitting at the kitchen table with the baby in his arms. Gabrielle was quiet and she was walking about the house, sweeping the dirty floors. I didn't want to argue, so I walked over to Gabrielle.  
  
"Is there any place around here where I can take a bath?" I asked. She smiled at me.  
  
"Yeah," she answered. "We have a tub out in the barn. I already filled it with hot water. It's all ready for you."  
  
"Thank you," I replied. Gabrielle nodded and walked away. Hercules came over to me.  
  
"Don't you think we ought to name her?" he asked. I looked at the baby and I smiled.  
  
"Yeah. I suppose we should," I replied quietly. I was about to make a suggestion, when shouting was heard from outside. Hercules passed the baby into Gabrielle's arms and instructed her to protect the baby. He opened the door and I stepped out before him. Several men were coming up the path to the house, dressed in black and silver armor. They had the imprint of a peacock's feathers on the chest of their armor.  
  
"Hera," Hercules whispered. "She's probably found out about the baby. Xena, you need to take her and get out of here."  
  
"No. I'm going to fight for my baby."  
  
"You're not strong enough yet!" Hercules replied.  
  
"I'm strong enough to do this, Hercules," I snapped. I stepped inside and I drew my sword and my chakram. I walked back outside and Gabrielle followed me. She had put the baby down in her cradle. "Gabrielle . . . stay back." I threw my chakram and it ricocheted off of several of the men's helmets. It came back to me and I looked at Hercules. I was worried. I hadn't wanted Hera to know of the child being Hercules'. I had figured that by staying away from Hercules, she would have never known who the father was. But sadly, that wasn't the case, and now she knew. She was after my child and I had to keep the baby safe.  
  
Suddenly, a bright flash blinded me for a moment. A woman dressed in a black dress, wearing black feathers in her hair, appeared before us. Her eyes told us who she was. They were the eyes of Hera. She was Hera!  
  
"You don't usually make public appearances," Hercules pointed out.  
  
"Well, seeing as my favorite son has been shunned by the mother of your child, I thought I'd come to witness this myself."  
  
"Witness what?" Hercules asked.  
  
"Your deaths," Hera said with an evil grin. Another flash came before my eyes and Ares appeared.  
  
"Sorry mom," Ares spoke up. Hera turned to him and glared at him fiercely.  
  
"And you . . . you are weak, Ares! You can't even beat your own brother. Hercules isn't a god! You are a god! You're just worried about your father, aren't you? Well, I can tell you that Zeus' opinion of you doesn't count. You disappoint me, Ares." I looked from Hercules to Ares and then to Hera. How could Ares stand there and take those insults from his own mother?  
  
"Just leave it alone, Hera," Hercules spoke up angrily.  
  
"Not a chance! I won't rest until you and your bastard child are dead!" Hera screamed. She turned to me. "And you, Xena. You have humiliated my son. You have turned him down and . . ."  
  
"I humiliated him? You're the one who has degraded him! You are the one who made him what he is," I replied. "But at least he has something that you don't."  
  
"And what's that?" she asked with an uninterested chuckle. I swallowed hard.  
  
"The ability to care. You have no feelings, you heartless coward. You're afraid of a tiny little infant. What are you so afraid of, Hera? Hmm?" I was so angry that I didn't realize that Hera's warriors were surrounding the house. Suddenly, Gabrielle screamed as one of the men seized her.  
  
"Xena!" she called out. I turned and my eyes grew wide.  
  
"Gabrielle!" I called out. I threw my chakram and it hit Gabrielle's captor. Suddenly, Hera disappeared and her men charged towards the house. Hercules began to kick and throw them off one by one as I used my sword to do the same. Ares was still there, watching the small battle. Then I heard my child's cries. I ran towards the door but another warrior cut me off. He hit me from behind and I spun around to knock him in the face with the hilt of my sword. I heard the crying stop and I ran into the house. Gabrielle followed me and we saw Ares standing there with my child in his arms.  
  
"Ares . . ." I started with an uneasiness in my voice. I was holding onto Gabrielle's hand and I reached for my child. But before I could take her, everything went bright. A moment later, Gabrielle, Ares, the baby, and I weren't at the house anymore. We were in one of Ares' temples. "Ares! I need to get back!"  
  
"No. You need to wait here. I'm going to help . . ."  
  
"You're going to help Hercules?" I asked. "Never thought I'd hear . . ."  
  
"I'm not helping him, okay? I'm helping you," he answered. He looked into my eyes, and I knew he was telling me the truth. He disappeared again, and Gabrielle and I remained in the temple with my newborn child, waiting for any word back from Hercules or Ares. 


End file.
